


He Must Be Up to Something

by cami_soul



Series: Game of Drarry [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Baked Goods, Drarropoly: Founders Edition - A Drarry Game/Fest, Fluff, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Harry Potter Thinks Draco Malfoy is Up to Something, M/M, Post-Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:27:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27943754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cami_soul/pseuds/cami_soul
Summary: Harry thought he and Malfoy had started to become friends, and maybe even more.  But now Malfoy was avoiding him, so the obvious conclusion was that Malfoy must be up to something and Harry is determined to find out what that is.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Series: Game of Drarry [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2083116
Comments: 15
Kudos: 120
Collections: Drarropoly '20: Founders Edition





	He Must Be Up to Something

**Author's Note:**

> Drarropoly prompt:
> 
> What’s the Big Secret?  
> Shrieking Shack  
> Having a secret hideaway is great until someone else discovers it and it isn’t so secret anymore.

“Malfoy is up to something,” Harry leaned over the Ministry cafeteria table to share his astute observation with Hermione and Ron.

“Mate! Come on… not this again,” Ron protested.

Harry… really? I thought the two of you had been getting along better?” Hermione questioned. “I thought you were past all this. Didn’t you and Malfoy sit by each other at last month’s charity auction? And you were actually civil to each other. Didn’t you two have lunch together a few times?” she pointed out. 

“You know I’m not his biggest fan, but even I can see that he’s changed, Harry. He works hard in the curse breaking department, and when he first started here he went out of his way to personally apologize to Hermione. You gotta stop fixating on him, Harry” Ron explained. “You gonna finish that?” looking longingly at Harry’s unfinished sandwich.

“Knock yourself out,” Harry pushed his plate over to his friend. “I’m not fixating,” he threw Ron a hard look, “We had been getting along. In fact, I thought we might have been…” Harry shook his head to clear it of fanciful thoughts, just because someone made you laugh at a boring charity dinner and said hi to you in the hallways at work did not mean they liked you like that. “It’s not about liking him or not liking him. He’s been sneaking away at lunchtime, every day. I asked him if I could join him, but he said no ‘he had to run errands’. Run errands… every day… yeah, sure. Last week when he came back, he had some white powder on his cheek!” Harry looked to his friends hoping to see their support, but instead, he saw them exchanging knowing looks.

Ron shook his head and winced, and then Hermione tilted her head in Harry’s direction and nodded. “Harry…” Hermione began in an overly patient tone. “Don’t you think Malfoy should be able to go wherever he wants during his lunch break?”

“Well, yeah,” Harry squirmed under her shrewd gaze. “But he’s started sneaking around about it now! After I asked to go with him, he started taking his lunch at an entirely different time. I’m sure he’s up to something!” Harry took a deep breath to try and calm his racing heart. It didn’t make any sense, he and Malfoy had been enjoying lunches together for a few weeks, and then all of a sudden he’s gone every lunchtime and is too busy for Harry. Malfoy must be involved in something illegal, maybe something with dark magic? It was the only thing that made sense. 

Ron broke into Harry’s thoughts as he spoke while finishing the last bites of Harry’s sandwich, “Well as long as you don’t do anything stupid, like follow him with your cloak…”

“Ron!” Hermione admonished, “Don’t go giving him any ideas!”

But it was too late, Harry knew just what he had to do now. “Thanks, mate,” He clapped Ron on the shoulder as he rose to leave and go find his supervisor. 

****

Harry was uncomfortable. He was hunched over because his invisibility cloak that had fit him and his friends easily at age 11 was now too small to cover his shins and feet unless he stooped over. And he had been huddled like this for over two hours waiting for Malfoy to come out of the ministry. He had taken the whole day off so he wouldn’t miss Malfoy. Since he had changed his usual lunchtime, Harry couldn’t predict when he might leave, but he wanted to be ready when he did. 

But the waiting was boring and uncomfortable, and Harry really hoped Malfoy would emerge soon. It was another hour of torturous waiting, but finally, Harry saw that familiar white-blond head emerging from the ministry building. He had removed his outer robes and was dressed in what appeared to be a muggle like button-up shirt and a pair of slacks. Harry followed him carefully, making sure that he stayed well behind the other man. Several times Malfoy turned and looked over his shoulder almost like he was expecting to be followed. Each time, Harry ducked into a doorway or alcove just in case. 

When Malfoy headed deeper into Muggle London, Harry was truly puzzled. During their lunches he had been witty and self-deprecating, and charming. He had really believed that Malfoy had changed, that he didn’t hold his racist beliefs anymore. He hoped like hell that Malfoy wasn’t involved with anything that might hurt Muggles. 

Harry watched, from a block away, as Malfoy entered a Muggle bakery called Crumble & Flake. Harry moved back on the sidewalk and leaned against the building across the street. He waited, thinking Malfoy would emerge with his purchases. But after thirty minutes of waiting and no Malfoy, Harry stepped into the alley and removed his cloak. He quickly returned to the sidewalk and crossed the street.

Inside the shop was a clerk behind a counter of baked goods and two people waiting in line to purchase. That was it. No Malfoy. Harry wrinkled up his brow and firmed his lips in confusion. Where the hell could he have gone? He knew if Malfoy had apparated the Muggles in the shop would be acting way more confused and upset. So how had he slipped by? 

He was about to leave the shop and return to his surveillance when his eye caught the treacle tart in the bakery case. Figuring he deserved something for all his effort, Harry bought himself a large slice before returning to his observation post across the street. 

When he had been waiting for almost an hour altogether, Harry was startled to see the bakery door open and Malfoy emerge. Even though he knew it was impossible, he couldn’t discount what his eyes were seeing. There was Malfoy, plain as day, smoothing down his shirt before starting down the street that would take him back to the ministry. 

Harry knew he must have missed something, and he also knew he would be taking another day off to investigate further tomorrow. 

****

This time Harry stationed himself right next to Crumble & Flake ahead of time. He had used the alley to put on his cloak and so now he was positioned to follow Malfoy into the building when he arrived. It wasn’t long before Harry spotted Malfoy’s pale head in the crowd. Although better nutrition when he attended Hogwarts had helped Harry make up some of his height deficits, Malfoy had ended up being half a head taller than Harry. He hated to admit it, but Harry secretly liked that Draco was taller than him. He imagined that it might be quite nice to hug him and rest his head on Draco’s shoulder. 

Harry was jolted out of his daydreaming when Malfoy passed right by him, almost close enough to touch, on his way into the bakery. Harry hurried and managed to slip in the door after him. He hung back while he saw Malfoy greet the store clerk. Then he watched with amazement, as Malfoy went behind the counter and over to a door that Harry had not noticed the day before. Before he knew it, Malfoy had opened the door and walked right through it. 

He had to know what Malfoy was up to behind that door! Thinking quickly, Harry cast a wordless spell and opened up a fire hydrant out on the street. When the clerk and the customers rushed over to the front window to look out at the chaos happening, Harry rushed around the back of the counter and passed through the door where Malfoy had gone. 

Malfoy looked up when the door opened and he squinted his narrowly when no one appeared to walk through it. He was standing at a long counter next to a pleasant-faced young woman with a brown ponytail. They were both wearing large white aprons. Malfoy’s hair had also been pulled back into a queue, which just made the planes of his face look sharper. Malfoy appeared to be mixing a potion in a large metal mixing bowl. 

“Elizabeth, I think I need some more butter if you would be so kind?” Malfoy asked the girl next to him without looking away from the doorway. 

“Sure Draco, no problem,” she told him before going over to a door on the far wall. 

Before Harry could blink, Malfoy had pulled out his wand and had cast a series of wordless spells, Harry’s feet were stuck and both doors were locked. 

“Whoever the hell you are you can reveal yourself right now,” Malfoy glared with his wand raised and pointed in the direction where Harry was standing. 

Muffled noises came from the other door, “Draco? Wha… I ca…” But Malfoy’s attention never wavered from where Harry was. 

Reluctantly, Harry pulled off the invisibility cloak. “You better let her back in,” he suggested.

Malfoy’s mouth dropped open and a soft gasp escaped, “Ha…Potter?” Malfoy closed his mouth and blinked a few times. “What? What are you doing here, Potter?” he asked his brow creased in a frown. 

“Um… shouldn’t you?” Harry waved in the direction of the door and pounding sounds the girl was making on the other side. 

In response, Malfoy waved his wand and released both the door and Harry’s feet. The door flew open with a bang. “Draco! Didn’t you hear me? The door was stuck… Oh, hi. Who are you?” Elizabeth’s complaining stopped when she caught sight of Harry. 

“No, I didn’t realize. I’m very sorry,” Draco apologized but continued to look in Harry’s direction. 

“Ah… I’m Harry, a friend of Mal…Draco’s,” Harry moved forward and extended his hand when it was clear that Malfoy wasn’t planning on introducing him. 

“Oh, how nice! What a supportive friend,” she smiled broadly at Harry and then seemed to notice both the tension in the room and the high color in Malfoy’s cheeks. “If you will excuse me for a minute. I have to go out front for a minute. Draco, are you okay continuing with the filling?”

“Of course, Elizabeth,” Malfoy nodded stiffly at the woman as she left the room. Then when they were alone he looked down at the bowl in front of him. “What are you doing here, Potter?” he asked again quietly.

“Um… I… well, you stopped having lunch… and I… I just… I wanted to know… whatyouwereupto,” Harry rushed the last part and hoped Malfoy didn’t pay attention. 

“Very well then,” Malfoy still wasn’t looking at him, Harry noticed. “You found me. Now if you don’t mind, we are terribly busy.” Malfoy made a shooing motion with the back of his hand in Harry’s direction and went back to stirring.

Harry could smell something sweet and now that his embarrassment was fading his curiosity was rising up once again. “And what exactly was it you are busy with again?” he asked moving to stand a foot away, close enough to see the sweet brown mixture in Malfoy’s bowl. Malfoy stiffened up and the back of his neck turned red, but he didn’t move away, so Harry took another step so that he was standing right behind the other man’s shoulder. So close in fact that he could feel Malfoy’s body heat. 

“It’s nothing really, just some cooking lessons, Potter.” Malfoy flashed him a tense look. 

“Cooking?!? Muggle cooking?” Harry couldn’t keep his astonishment from his tone. 

“Why is that so hard to believe?” Malfoy’s eyes flashed angrily at Harry before they darted away again. “It’s very similar to making potions, and I excel at that.”

“It’s just… I thought you purebloods had their house elves do this kind of thing,” Harry answered. 

They were interrupted when the baker came back, “Is the filling ready for the tart, Draco?” She looked over his shoulder and hummed before looking over at Harry, “Are you the lucky recipient?” 

“What…” Harry began before Malfoy interrupted.

“No, no Elizabeth. He’s not… it’s not,” Malfoy looked panicked.

“What recipient?” Harry managed to get out.

“Well, Draco was insistent about learning this particular recipe. And he said he was making it for someone special,” She shrugged and turned to take something out of the oven.

“What’s the recipe?” Harry asked, his eyes never leaving Malfoy’s pinkening face.

He watched Malfoy cover his face with his hands as Elizabeth answered, “Why our famous treacle tart of course. We are known for it.”

Harry’s heart started beating rapidly in his chest as the information slowly sunk in. Malfoy was learning to make treacle tart for “someone special”. Harry moved next to the other man and tentatively put his hand on his shoulder, “Malf- Draco?” With his free hand, he carefully pulled Draco’s hands away from his face. “Is this… is this for me?” he whispered. 

Draco finally looked back and Harry watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed hard. He nodded and whispered back, “Who else?”

Harry didn’t even try to stop the huge smile from breaking over his face, “You’re learning to bake for me?” He lifted a hand to gently tuck a strand of platinum hair behind Draco’s ear. “Thank you. No one has ever learned to bake treacle tart just for me before.”

Draco’s flush deepened and his body leaned towards Harry’s, “Well, you do seem to adore the stuff.” 

“That’s not all I really like,” Harry cupped Draco’s cheek and leaned closer. “Thank you, Draco,” he whispered before bringing their lips together in a tender kiss. “Can I walk you back to work when you’re done?” 

Draco smiled back softly and linked their hands together, “I’d like that.” And with that, he leaned in for another kiss that was sweeter than all of the treacle tart in London.


End file.
